Does the LT1 even have a use anymore?

[Cerwin Vega Fan]

Me and some friends were having an old fashion debate over whether the LT1 is still a useful engine performance wise. In an age of badass sport compacts (EVO, STi, and SRT-4 are examples) and with the advent of the LSX engines, can the LT1 based engines still play a role in the performance world?

[ws6drbob]

Uhhhhhhh..... Are you serious? If it can be modded to run 9's I kinda think there are some uses for it. My best friend bought a 02 WRX when they first came out because they were hyped so much and the end result was he lost to me by 4 car lengths from a roll and 2 from a launch. In my opinion the LT-1 is just as good as an LS1 except the LS1 sheds a few pounds by having an alluminum block. It just depends on what you are in to.

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

Anything can be modded or built to run anything... I don't see the use for this post.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Yes and yes. One of the only motors in a GM late model platform that would fall under this category is the 3.4 V6. It's not bad or anything, but there are no performance mods out there. To consider an LT1 under this category is absolutely ridiculous. Even with most of these ridiculous looking sport compact fart machines, who happened to have turbochargers, our LT1 still puts out more power bone stock. If the heads are opened up and a decent cam is put in, you will easily see double the power of those things. And of course, if you turbocharge it like they do, to suck the most power out of a pitily 4 banger...well, we all know the #s it will pull out.

[Z Ya Later]

Yeah, last I checked, my "poor, old, outdated" Z spanks pretty much anything on the street, even some LS1s. While I wish the Opti was in a better postion, this motor is a very good choice for performance, esp. on a budget as the LS1s still have not come down enough in price to put them under the $10k mark with decent miles and numbers. There's nothing wrong with the LT1 by any means. Buuuuut, if you don't like it that much, I'll take it...wouldn't mind having an LT1 in my Jeep

[Joe 1320]

Now here's a worthy thread. .

By the way, here was my best ET for a stock motor LT-1 with bolt ons.

R/T .577
60' 2.019
1/8 et 8.547
1/8 mph 86.110
1/4 et 13.031
1/4 mph 107.860

a terrible 60' time on radials too. Not bad for a stocker/driver. Just a little more traction and 12's are within reach. A converter would do it too.

[wolfdogs]

thats like saying "is a 327, or 383, or 427 rat motor anygood anymore? are they useless?"

are metal car bodies anygood anymore? with the age of high tech plastics?..heck..is metal of any kind anygood anymore?

heck... are vehicles on 4 wheels any good anymore? i want a high tech "beam me thar scotty" instead... enough of this sitting in traffic~!!!!!!!!!

[Rob B (shoebox)]

I don't see the use for this post.

LOL, me either.

[fastTa]

The LT1 still has it's place although the LT1 aftermarket is slowly losing interest. The LS1/2, LS6/7 aftermarket is still on the rise and will be for awhile. Along with the superiority of the LS1 motor over the LT1, this does make the LS1 obviously more attractive over the LT1, but this does not mean the LT1 is obsolete in any way.

It is just all about preference and which vehicle the motor is going into.

[markd79ta]

Me and some friends were having an old fashion debate over whether the LT1 is still a useful engine performance wise. In an age of badass sport compacts (EVO, STi, and SRT-4 are examples) and with the advent of the LSX engines, can the LT1 based engines still play a role in the performance world?

Since the b-bodies never made it into the LS1 years (###**#@% - many curses toward GM); you will see a strong aftermarket for a long time. Nothing like seeing a 4500lbs b-body thundering down the track in the 10s. The LT1 definitely has its uses; as the prices come down, you will see a lot of them make there way into custom rods, trucks, and off road vehicles kinda like the L98s over that past 10 years. Additionally, the gen 1 SBC is still alive and well. The LT1s are here to stay.

Oh, and if I can't make my LT1 Trans AM or Roadmaster destroy any of those imports you mentioned, I need to sell all of my cars and take up knitting.

[Cerwin Vega Fan]

I should have worded my post better. I'm not saying the LT1 is useless to the point where it should be thrown away (hell I own one). It just seems the after-market is no longer really interested in the LTX engines and the LSX engines seem to be have an after-market that is steadily growing. When I visit any kind of performance site their always seems to be a bigger selection for LSX engines over LTX engines. One big advantage the LTX cars have is price but LS1 F-Bodys and Y-Bodys have been coming down in price at a steady rate. Even now you could find a LS1 F-Body with low miles for under 10K if you are patient and hunt around for a good deal. Another thing I don't understand is how you can have an LSX engine producing really good numbers and yet still do good on gas. I know fuel economy should never really be a concern for a muscle car owner but with the raise in gas prices ever gallon you save can help. It just seems the era of the LT1 is just taking a back seat now IMO. Yes they can beat an LSX if you go into the engine but unless you do major work mod for mod an LSX engine will win. It just seem like the era of the SBC is starting to fade IMO due to technology.

[FireFinder20]

Ya, the LT-1 is still a force to be reckoned with

here it is 10 years old in my T/A and 13 years old in my buddy's Vette and all of our friends are still trying to find new ways to beat us, not mention how badass they sound when you throw a little exhaust on them...I'd like an LS-1, but for the money, my LT-1 will foot the bill just fine

[Nightrage]

I should have worded my post better. I'm not saying the LT1 is useless to the point where it should be thrown away (hell I own one). It just seems the after-market is no longer really interested in the LTX engines and the LSX engines seem to be have an after-market that is steadily growing. When I visit any kind of performance site their always seems to be a bigger selection for LSX engines over LTX engines. One big advantage the LTX cars have is price but LS1 F-Bodys and Y-Bodys have been coming down in price at a steady rate. Even now you could find a LS1 F-Body with low miles for under 10K if you are patient and hunt around for a good deal. Another thing I don't understand is how you can have an LSX engine producing really good numbers and yet still do good on gas. I know fuel economy should never really be a concern for a muscle car owner but with the raise in gas prices ever gallon you save can help. It just seems the era of the LT1 is just taking a back seat now IMO. Yes they can beat an LSX if you go into the engine but unless you do major work mod for mod an LSX engine will win. It just seem like the era of the SBC is starting to fade IMO due to technology.

I know just how you feel. The way people badmouth the LT1, it gets a little disheartening. It's always LS1 this and that or imports running 20#'s of boost. Then again, it's like saying there's no place for the Ford 302 anymore. They have less horsepower and torque than a stock LT1. I think a stock 302 in a 93-95 Mustang put out 200 horsepower. My girlfriends dad's Infinity has a 3.0 V6 that makes 240 horsepower. Those Ford guys will never part with their beloved 5.0 though. Low 14's aren't bad by any means though and it's nothing a few mods won't fix.

BTW- Joe, what kind of bolt ons did your car have to put it in the low 13 range? I need some ideas for when i get the money together.

[markd79ta]

I should have worded my post better. I'm not saying the LT1 is useless to the point where it should be thrown away (hell I own one). It just seems the after-market is no longer really interested in the LTX engines and the LSX engines seem to be have an after-market that is steadily growing. When I visit any kind of performance site their always seems to be a bigger selection for LSX engines over LTX engines. One big advantage the LTX cars have is price but LS1 F-Bodys and Y-Bodys have been coming down in price at a steady rate. Even now you could find a LS1 F-Body with low miles for under 10K if you are patient and hunt around for a good deal. Another thing I don't understand is how you can have an LSX engine producing really good numbers and yet still do good on gas. I know fuel economy should never really be a concern for a muscle car owner but with the raise in gas prices ever gallon you save can help. It just seems the era of the LT1 is just taking a back seat now IMO. Yes they can beat an LSX if you go into the engine but unless you do major work mod for mod an LSX engine will win. It just seem like the era of the SBC is starting to fade IMO due to technology.

There are a lot of parts out there considering the last production car with the LT1 was almost 10 years ago. The LS1,2,6,7s are still in production so they will naturally have more R&D along with more offerings. If we can still get all the parts we need for the L98s, we will have plenty of after market parts for the LT1,4 for a long time to come. There is such a cult following for the '94-'96 Impala SS along with the C4s that there will never be a shortage of parts for the LT1,4s. I agree that we won't see a lot of R&D for the LT1, but that has already been done. There are still parts coming to market like the MSD opti and opti cap&rotor. Summit Racing is now selling all of the GM Parts LT4 upgrade & hot cam hits. A couple manufacturers are producing heads. There are an abundant number of after market cams + plenty of vendors who make custom ground cams. Since a highly modified LT4 is capable of 800-1000+ hp, I can't see it ever going away from the enthusiast build up table. If I keep my '97, it will be the only 4th gen I will own...I am not about to trade it in favor of an LS1 car. The LS engines are great, but there is nothing it can do that I can't make my LT1 do in the 500hp range that I want.

[wolfdogs]

I should have worded my post better. I'm not saying the LT1 is useless to the point where it should be thrown away (hell I own one). It just seems the after-market is no longer really interested in the LTX engines and the LSX engines seem to be have an after-market that is steadily growing. When I visit any kind of performance site their always seems to be a bigger selection for LSX engines over LTX engines. One big advantage the LTX cars have is price but LS1 F-Bodys and Y-Bodys have been coming down in price at a steady rate. Even now you could find a LS1 F-Body with low miles for under 10K if you are patient and hunt around for a good deal. Another thing I don't understand is how you can have an LSX engine producing really good numbers and yet still do good on gas. I know fuel economy should never really be a concern for a muscle car owner but with the raise in gas prices ever gallon you save can help. It just seems the era of the LT1 is just taking a back seat now IMO. Yes they can beat an LSX if you go into the engine but unless you do major work mod for mod an LSX engine will win. It just seem like the era of the SBC is starting to fade IMO due to technology.

keep in mind we dont use cuss words on this forum.